FIG. 1 shows, in a schematic top view, a detail of a chain conveyor comprising a radio-frequency identification arrangement according to the prior art.
The chain conveyor comprises a linked chain 104, which may be endlessly circulating, for example. The linked chain 104 is formed by a plurality of link members each having a plurality of teeth 104 and gaps 104b formed therebetween and each extending along an arcuate front and rear face side, so that the linked chain 104 can be deflected horizontally. The linked chain 104 is guided by two lateral support rails 103. A workpiece carrier 102 is supported on the linked chain 104 such that the two flattened side surfaces 102a of the workpiece carrier 102 are aligned parallel to the lateral guidings 105. An RFID tag is disposed at one of the two flattened side surfaces 102a of the workpiece carrier 102 and can be read out or read out and written by the RFID reading/writing device 112 for identifying the workpiece (not shown) which is arranged on the workpiece carrier 102 (not shown).
This arrangement requires an oriented feed of the workpiece carrier 102, which results in higher costs and more effort for the orientation of the workpiece carrier 102, but also limits the flexibility in conveying piece goods in such chain conveyors. In particular, such an arrangement requires an asymmetrical arrangement of the RFID tag and an exact adjustment of the chain conveyor so that the workpiece carriers can be advanced past at a small distance between the RFID tag and the RFID reading/writing device. If the workpiece carriers are not designed asymmetrically, in particular in the form of rotationally symmetrical workpiece carriers (so-called pucks), the workpiece carriers need to be guided out of the chain conveyor in order to be read or read and written with data, which increases costs and limits the flexibility further.
DE 202010017525 U1 discloses an arrangement device for holding a puck in an arrangement position in a conveyor system comprising a base portion, a rail portion and a rotary disc which is rotatably supported in the base portion and has a puck recess. Furthermore, an RFID reading/writing unit is provided at a control rail of the rail portion. However, it is not disposed facing the underside of the linked chain, so that higher radio-frequency powers are required for identification.
CH 699 992 B1 discloses a conveyor belt module, the details of which are described in EP 2070647 B1, but which does not comprise a support rail element in the sense of the present application.
Against this background, there is a further need for improvements in chain conveyors of the aforementioned type.